Seed germination and cultivation of Melocactus zehntneri (Cactaceae)

• Grant number: 21/01814-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2021
• End date: April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Jean Carlos Cardoso
• Grantee: Mariana Freitas Campos Magnani
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Melocactus zehntneri is a cactus popularly known as chapéu-de-frade and is endemic to the northeast region of Brazil, especially the caatinga. It's vegetative growth is slow and may take years to reach the reproductive stage. It's a cactus with great ornamental potential and it's growing commercial demand is one of the factors that threatens the decrease of it's individuals in it's area of occurrence, and may prevent them from exercising important environmental functions. Alternatives to the removal of individuals from their natural areas are fundamental for the maintenance and conservation of the species. On the other hand, the trade of ornamental plants has great importance in the economic movement of the country. The production and germination of seeds, under controlled conditions, associated with the establishment of cultivation techniques, are alternatives that make it possible to attend the commercialization and help in the conservation of the species. With cultivation strategies it's also possible to accelerate the development time of the plants in relation to their habitat of occurrence. Thus, the present research project aims to establish procedures that optimize the germination and initial development stages of the species Melocactus zehntneri by cultivating it's individuals in the house of vegetation. To achieve success, factors such as acid scarification and application of phytoregulators to increase and accelerate seed germination under in vitro conditions will be tested. After germination, the seedlings obtained will be submitted to two experiments, one with different growing substrates and the other with fertilization, using different pH and electrical conductivity values of the fertigation solution to evaluate the initial development of the seedlings in substrate. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARIANA FC MAGNANI; JEAN CARLOS CARDOSO. Germinação de sementes e substratos para mudas de Melocactus zehntneri. Horticultura Brasileira, v. 40, n. 4, p. 384-392, 2023-01-09. (21/01814-8)